This invention relates generally to the preparation of table settings for use in the food service industry and relates, more particularly, to the means and methods for banding a wrapped arrangement of silverware for use in a place setting.
In the food service industry, a great deal of time is normally devoted to the wrapping of silverware (i.e. also referred to in the art as eating utensils or flatware) within a napkin for use in a table setting. Of course, by simply winding items of silverware within a napkin does not ordinarily place the arrangement in a condition which prevents the napkin from inadvertently unwrapping from the silverware unless the wound arrangement is carefully handled. Preferably, therefore, the wound silverware arrangement is banded with a piece of tape or some other segment of banding material which encircles the wrapped arrangement along its longitudinal axis and thereby binds and maintains the arrangement in a wrapped condition.
In our above-referenced pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/188,814 filed Nov. 9, 1998, we describe a silverware-wrapping apparatus which employs a worktable within which is provided an upwardly-opening trough for accepting a napkin and silverware items positioned therein. The napkin is automatically placed over the opening of the trough in a spread condition and then silverware items are automatically directed onto the napkin so that the silverware falls to the bottom of the trough thereby positioning the napkin between the silverware and the bottom of the trough. A pair of rotatable blades is positioned within the trough for automatically spinning the napkin and silverware items about the longitudinal axis of the trough until the napkin and silverware items are wound in a wrapped arrangement. However, no means are described in connection with that wrapping apparatus for banding the wrapped silverware.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved means and method for banding wrapped silverware.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a means which is well-suited for banding wrapped silverware while the wrapped silverware is positioned within the worktable trough of the wrapping apparatus described in our referenced patent application.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a means whose banding operation is automatic and is capable of banding wrapped silverware relatively quickly.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a means which is uncomplicated in construction yet effective in operation.